Given the steady slope downward — five straight gold medals, two silvers, and one bronze, in that order — it’s almost logical to wonder what is happening with Canada’s under-20 world junior program.

“It’s in a great place,” the team’s head scout Kevin Prendergast said in defence, a week before the team invites are sent for Canada’s auditions which will be held in Calgary from Dec. 11 to 15. “But Canadians think it’s our given right that we are best in the world. For the most part, we are. When you get into tournaments like this, if you look at Sweden and what they’ve done the past four years and the Russians for the last 30 years, we’re in tough.”

However, he’s well aware that the naysayers know this but are still wondering — aloud.

“We always face criticism — we haven’t won,” Prendergast said. “Working for this program, the expectation is gold medal. There’s no excuses for not winning one. There’s reasons why you don’t at times because it’s a short tournament. But Canada’s always been able to produce players that compete . . . and it’s not as if we’ve embarrassed ourselves.

“It’s a very, very tough tournament to win.”

So, heading into 2013, there are certain check marks on his list. One being the team’s physical element which is definitely something Prendergast said he’d like to see on the 2013 edition and more of it.

In 2012, they were giddy with excitement when the Anaheim Ducks dispatched heavy-hitting forward Devante Smith-Pelly to Calgary for the tournament. Then, they cringed when the Scarborough, Ont., native went down with a broken foot after blocking a shot in Canada’s first game of the tourney against Finland. On the other hand, Prendergast said what the 2011 team had in physical play they lacked in depth.

As always, goaltending and defence are top priorities and Prendergast likes the competition they have at both positions.

They took a hit when Ryan Murray, the second overall pick behind Nail Yakupov at the 2012 NHL draft, injured his shoulder and is facing shoulder surgery. Murray was the first draft-eligible player to represent Canada at the junior tournament and, as Columbus Blue Jackets property, became the second-youngest to play in the world championships.

However, he said they’re in deep should the NHL return, especially up front. And they can’t necessarily rely on Canada’s young guns.

“If the NHL is back, that centre position is so hard to fill,” he said. “You can say, well, you have (17-year-old superstar) Nathan MacKinnon (of the Halifax Mooseheads), but this is a 20-year-old tournament and if you look at how strong that Russian team was physically, if your kids aren’t physically able to compete at that level, it’s very, very difficult.

To help the squad deal with the pressure and instead of a summer camp with a lacklustre Red/White game simulation scrimmage, Hockey Canada assembled its best 28 players for a four-game series against the Russians which included two clashes overseas at Yaroslavl, Russia.

Then, in addition to ongoing evaluations done by Prendergast and Co., there was the recent six-game Subway Super Series between the Russians and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, the Ontario Hockey League and the Western Hockey League. Next up? The final selection camp at Calgary’s WinSport Athletic and Ice Complex.

And from there, the 22 players selected hit the ground running — for a month.

“There’s no waiting period, saying, ‘Oh he’s going to get better in two weeks or the next game,’ ” said Prendergast, who is mostly responsible for assembling the squad that’ll head to Ufa, Russia, for the 2013 edition of the tournament from Dec. 26 to Jan. 5. “That’s why when we announce the team, it’s the best 22-players that give us a chance to win a gold medal. Not necessarily the best team, but the best players at that point.”

ICE CHIPS . . .

Brendan Leipsic is the WHL’s player of the week. The Portland Winterhawk collected nine points (three goals and six assists) in three games and had a plus five rating as the high-flying club went 3-0-0 . . . Red Deer Rebels netminder Patrik Bartosak is the WHL’s nomination for the CHL goalie of the week.

“Everybody knows we’re in the Memorial Cup but we want to get there. We don’t want to go in the back door. We want to go in the front door.”

— Saskatoon Blades head coach and general manager Lorne Molleken whose club was featured in “On The Edge,” a documentary that aired Friday on Sportsnet about the host team’s road to the Memorial Cup.

“He’s had some situations in the past. That’s no secret.”

— Kamloops Blazers general manager Craig Bonner on his decision to acquire league bad boy Charles Inglis from the Red Deer Rebels. The 20-year-old edgy forward left the Saskatoon Blades and Prince George Cougars on less than amicable terms. The Blazers will be the Saskatoon native’s fourth WHL team.

“You knew it was going to come sooner or later. He’s an unbelievable hockey player. Seeing him score that goal, especially a nice one like that, is nice.”

— Calgary Hitmen forward Cody Sylvester on Victor Rask’s first WHL goal this season after spending 10 games with the Charlotte Checkers, the Carolina Hurricanes farm team.

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